Photo of Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar

Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shri Tukojirao III Holkar XIII Bahadur was the Maharaja Holkar of Indore , son and successor of Shivajirao Holkar who abdicated in his favor on January 31 1903. He reigned under a regency council initially. He was sworn in with all the powers on 6th November 1911 at the age of 21. That same year he attended the coronation of George V of England in London .He founded the Order of Merit of Holkar (February 1914 ) and the Order of Ahilya Holkar (22 November 1920 ).He was knighted in the Order of the Star on January 1 1918.He abdicated in favor of his only son Yashwantrao Holkar II on 26 February 1926 .

Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar, listened to Shri Nathji’s sermon at Railto Theatre Mussoorie. Were he said to Nathji “Such peace can be obtained only from you.” He had first met Shri Nathji in Dehradun in the late 1930’s. At that time he had had the darshan of Shri Nathji as well as Shri Babaji Maharaj. He had come again in 1940 after the birth of Pran Nath and paid his obeisances to Shri Nathji.
 In the Dehra Dun house, there was a long garden path leading from the gate to the house. Maharaja Indore would remove his shoes at the gate. He would refuse the shoes of cotton offered by his Secretary and walk bare-footed all the way to Shri Nathji who was very pleased with the Maharaja’s humility 

 He used to visit Shri Nathji when ever he came to Mussoorie. Once the secretary of the Maharaja said to Shri Nathji that the Maharaja is greatly worried and desired peace of mind. Shri Nathji said to the Maharaja, have you come to beg for peace or have you come here to take it for a price. To this the proud Maharaja said that he was a real customer who would buy with earnestness. Shri Nathji said what is the price you are willing to pay for peace. The Maharaja said that at this time he is so much in need of peace that he can even offer his state of Indore to Nathji. Shri Nathji said if the state of Indore is the price for peace of mind then why can’t you get peace of mind in your state of Indore? If a customer goes to a shop he offers a price that is greater then the value of of the thing he buys. How can you buy something which has less value then the think which you wish to buy. Then the Maharaja understood his mistake and said that he has come to beg and not to buy. This eventful meeting of Maharaja Indore with Shri Nathji is mentioned in the Mahagranth - God Incarnate on page 333 – 334 were we can read his story in detail. In the days gone by, Maharaja Indore had come to Mussoorie and visited Shri Nathji at his residence Savitri Nivas. There again he had removed his shoes at the iron gate of the house and walked barefooted all the way to the entrance of the verandah of Shri Nathji's home.
 Shri Nathji had prepared an elegant tea party for him, befitting a Maharaja, and had called the waiters and food from Hakman’s hotel.
 The Maharaja was much too humble to sit before Shri Nathji but had been persuaded to do so by Shri Nathji himself.
 His wife, Maharani Sarmishta was an American lady, who also had a deep reverence for Shri Nathji and Mateshwari.
 Maharaja Indore had frequently invited Shri Nathji to his State, but Shri Nathji could not go nor did he have any desires to go there.

In January 1955, when Shri Nath ji was going with his family by car to Mumbai, he came to know that next stop is Indore city. Then Shri Nathji remembered the Maharaja and, he personally went with his family to the palace to meet the Maharaja. Maharaja Indore and his Maharani came down the stairs of their portico and received Shri Nathji. They touched his feet and led him into their drawing room. The Maharaja and the Maharani insisted that Shri Nathji and his family stay with them for a few days. Shri Nathji told them he was en route to Bombay, but agreed to stay for lunch. The Maharaja and the Maharani served Shri Nathji with great respect, with their own hands. They also served the boys, Pran Nath and Priya Nath, with the same degree of reverence.
 After the meal, the Maharaja and Maharani brought the water and washed the hands of Shri Nathji and Mateshwari themselves. Shri Nathji was greatly pleased at the Maharaja’s devotion and he said:
 "Maharaja Sahib, the food I have eaten here today has become a part of my body. Whatever good that comes from this body for the world shall carry your share with it. By serving me you have thus served the world. Tell me, now, is there anything I can do for you? Ask whatever you will, of me!"
 Maharaja Indore said:
 "I have but one thing to ask of Your Holiness–leave your blessings behind! They will contain everything!"
 Shri Nathji said:
 "Maharaja Sahib! A flower was lying on a table. When taking leave of the table, the flower asked what it might give in return for the resting place the table had given it. 'Leave behind your fragrance,’ said the table. But the request was superfluous because by its very touch, the flower had left its fragrance behind on the table."
 And it was thus that Shri Nathji took leave of the Maharaja and the Maharani. They came down the stairs of the portico and held the doors of the Standard car open, even as Shri Nathji and Mateshwari and the children got inside. Then Shri Nathji raised his hands in a gesture of blessings. The Maharaja and the Maharani bowed their heads.
 And Shri Nathji left Shiv Vilas Palace with the fragrance of his blessings lingering on inside the hearts of the Maharaja and his Maharani. He was never to see them again. This last visit was the divine photograph that would remain for ages to come in the spiritual world.
 For well over forty years Shri Nathji continued to send his birthday cards to Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar, receiving a telegram of greetings and obeisances each time in reply. It was a long and lasting relationship. The devotion that Maharaja Indore had for Shri Nathji was terminated only by the passing away of the Maharaja at a very ripe old age in 1978. Even then Maharani Sarmishta Bai kept on acknowledging the invitation cards that Shri Nathji sent till her last days upon earth.

 It is also important to note that, Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar had infect abdicated his kingship in favour of his only son Yashwantrao Holkar II on 26 February 1926. So he actually ruled for a period of just 15 years. This was something quite unusual among Indian royalty were in, the king remains a king for his all his like and a new king is enthroned only after the death of the former king. So when he met Shri Nathji in late 1930’s he was still called the Maharaja of Indore, because of the very fact that he was still a living ruler, even though he had abdicated his rule in favour of his son. So perhaps the Maharaja was indeed so devoid of peace that he left his throne in hope to free himself of the loads of a king and thus attain peace. But he didn’t attained peace till he listened to the sermons of Shri Nathji. Conceivably it seems that he did attained some peace later as he lived for a very long time. He died in Paris on May 21 of 1978 at a grand old age of 88 years.

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Priya Nath Mehta -  Beautiful forey into history of HH Shri Nathji! Blessings and Congratulations!!